


The Christmas Angel

by SmileAndWave (Tammy_grateful)



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Curse, Christmas Fluff, F/F, SO MUCH FLUFF, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-01-16 08:47:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21268280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tammy_grateful/pseuds/SmileAndWave
Summary: Another Hallmark Christmas Movie inspired story that no one asked for, but I am a sucker for a cheesy romance. Trying to hit as many tropes as I can from my two favorite things: Wynonna Earp and Hallmark Christmas Movies. Inspired by my favorite couple; just a powder day’s worth of fluff. Wayhaught is endgame. Nothing about this story resembles Wynonna Earp except Wayhaught, mostly. I never planned to write, but this story wouldn’t stop bothering me! I am not an author, all mistakes are mine and I happily own them.Nicole is new to town and needs to meet her soulmate. Waverly works for the company that started all this soulmate business. It is her job to help Nicole meet her soulmate. Shenanigans ensue.





	1. P.E.A.C.E. Maker

**Author's Note:**

> This little story would’ve been a veritable pile of word vomit if not for Kay. Thank you, love, for making this readable.
> 
> Thank you, Soffi, for encouraging me to post it. Who knew fighting for a little shit show would reward me with such a good friend?

A petite brunette walked briskly down the street, peppermint tea in hand. It was Christmas in Purgatory, her favorite time of the year - everything outside was covered in a blanket of white. She was able to wear a different scarf each day from her extensive collection. Kids were on their best behavior in hopes of all their wishes coming true. Smells of evergreen, cinnamon, cloves, and gingerbread filled the air. She had a smile and wave for everyone she passed. 

Upon entering a nondescript building, she walked toward the elevator bank at the end of the hall. She entered the elevator and pressed the button for the 7th floor. The piped in muzak was playing ‘Jingle Bells’ - her favorite, and she sang along. The doors opened and she stepped out, smiling. Garland decorated the walls and sparkling snowflakes adorned the ceiling; giving the impression of walking through gently falling snow. A Christmas tree was trimmed with colorful twinkle lights, brightly colored glass globes, tinsel and candy canes, topped with an angel. A receptionist was seated at a welcome desk.

“Waverly!” Jeremy greeted her warmly. “How is my favorite angel today? You are looking amazing.” 

Waverly continued to smile. She was an angel (yes, a real live angel, complete with wings!), and smiling happened to be one of her favorite activities. “Hey, Jeremy. What a beautiful day today!” She had a warm spot in her heart for one of her favorite coworkers. 

“Indeed it is! And Christmas is just around the corner! Oh! Let me guess - peppermint tea?”

“Am I that predictable?”

“Well, it was that or hot cinnamon spiced tea. Your demeanor said peppermint. Anyway, I made you a little something for the holiday season.” Jeremy handed Waverley a small box. 

“Spritz cookies! This will go perfect with my tea. Thank you!”

“You’re welcome. Hey! Congratulations on winning “Nicest Angel of the Year! That is really saying something. I mean - angels are angels after all.” Jeremy’s hand hovered in the air, waiting for a high five. 

“It’s all in the smile and wave!” Waverly posed with her hand in a friendly wave position and flashed her award-winning smile, then slapped her hand towards Jeremy’s. They both timed it wrong, though, and their pinkies barely grazed each other, causing them to giggle. “Dad is having the sash framed. It’s kinda embarrassing.”

“It’s not every year someone we know wins this award!” Jeremy assured her.

Waverly shrugged a shoulder, both proud and embarrassed at the attention. “Is my dad in?” she asked. 

“You betcha! He is waiting with a new case for you. He’s in his office as usual.” Jeremy sent her on her way.

The 7th floor was completely occupied by P.E.A.C.E. Maker - Purgatory Engagement Agency Coupling Everyone. Their only purpose was to help the lonely find their soulmate. They worked completely behind the scenes and were proud of their secrecy. When you can’t quite explain how perfect meeting your soulmate was? P.E.A.C.E. Maker had a hand in it.

Waverly had many traits and skills which made her perfect for her job. She had a degree in Ancient Cultures and Languages. She spoke four other languages. She was an excellent judge of character and able to see the positive side of everyone. Finally, she was a planner. She answered to Julian, the GRT Division COO, who just happens to be her father. Who says nepotism doesn’t exist in Angel land? 

The Christmas season was her favorite time of the year to work. Leading soulmates together always left her feeling fulfilled. Factor in the magic of Christmas, and this added an extra special something to the couple-to-be meet up. It left her more satisfied than any other time of the year.

Waverly continued down the hall, stopping at her desk to drop her jacket, bag, and cookies from Jeremy, then proceeded to the end of the hall. She arrived at Julian’s door; it was open, so she entered. “Morning, Dad!”

“Waverly. How are you this fine morning?” He came around the desk to give his daughter a warm hug, and placed a kiss on the crown of her head. 

“Great! Jeremy gave me some of his homemade spritz cookies so I am fueled and ready to go. I just wrapped up the Bustillos case. The smart and pretty ones are so fascinating. And it was nice to practice my Spanish,” she giggled. “When Rosita said, ‘Te quiero no solo por como eres, sin o por como soy yo cuando estoy contigo,’” Waverly placed her hands over her heart and sighed. “Magic.”

“Aah. I love a happy ending!” Julian replied.

“On to the next set of hearts! Any interesting cases for me?” 

“Yes,” Julian handed her a file. “I’m assigning you to the Haught case.”

Waverly quickly perused the file, stopping at the picture. A gorgeous redheaded woman wearing a Stetson (are you kidding me?) stared back at her. It was the Purgatory Police Department head shot photo every deputy was required to take. Sit in the chair, look at the camera, head tilt, click, next… Yet this Haught woman still managed to look stunning. Her hair was pulled back in a severe French braid. Dimples so deep you could get lost in them. Chocolate brown eyes stared back confidently, evoking a feeling of trust. Waverly imagined what she would look like in her standard issue uniform, hands at her waist, thumbs looped into her duty belt…yes, anyone with eyes would swoon. “Nicole Haught. Of course.” Even her name implied this case would not be hard to complete successfully.

“I’m on it, Dad.” Waverly picked up the file, turned towards the door, and with a smile and wave headed to her desk.

Waverly gathered meticulous notes on Nicole Haught. Graduated top of her class at the academy. Rookie cop, newest addition to the Purgatory Police Department. Volunteer for the Boys and Girls club since high school. Protective above all. Always doing the right thing. Rock climber, music lover, hockey player. Lonely despite her beauty and self-assurance. Oh yeah, a lesbian. Waverly was honestly a bit confused why this woman would need help with anything. She headed back to Julian’s office. “Why this case? She’s the whole package! She is smart, has good looks, steady job, a house, confidence, and a cat! How is every girl in the Ghost River Triangle not beating down her door?”

“We need her to meet her soulmate, Wave.” Julian explained. 

“Any potential candidates?” Waverly inquired.

“Shae Pressman, a local physician at Purgatory General. She’s adventurous, smart, witty, and perfect for Nicole.” Julian had begun a basic background check on Shae. “They match on 56 out of the 60 Elements of our Coupling Compatibility Scale. It doesn’t get much better than that.”

Waverly flipped through Shae’s file. It was true; they would have a lot in common. A work photo of her was attached-white lab jacket and trademark stethoscope around her neck. The woman was stunningly beautiful. Long black hair, almond shaped eyes, tall and slender…is there such a thing as being too perfect? Kappa Psi Psi Panhellenic delegate, (Waverly would have to google whatever that meant later). Valedictorian of her graduating class. Volunteered at the local Humane Society because she loved dogs but couldn’t own one. “Ok, I can see the compatibility. She hasn’t lived in Purgatory very long. Have they met yet?”

“No, and this is where you come in. Get these two together, see what happens. It may be a simple eyes-meet-across-a-crowded-room case, they just need a crowded room. They are a good match, Waverly. I just know it.” Julian sat down at his desk. “Do you need anything from me?”

“No. It’s a pretty straightforward case. I’ll go ‘meet’ them and plant a seed that will be sure to work!” Waverly exited her dad’s office, a plan already forming in her head.

🎄🎄🎄

Nicole sat in her patrol car sipping a gingerbread latte. She was not in the mood for a crappy cup of coffee from the station this morning. Perhaps she was influenced by the holiday season. Plus, buying coffee gave her a chance to talk to Sonora. She had met Sonora at the town ice rink during a pickup game of hockey. The girl was a heck of a winger and a bit of a trouble maker. So she helped the young truant get a job at the diner by providing a glowing recommendation. She just needed a chance and someone to believe in her. Seeing how this kid had transformed in a few short months pleased Nicole. She felt content when she helped others.

Nicole loved being a deputy. She liked cruising around the small town of Purgatory and getting to know the citizens. She believed in the motto To Protect and Serve. She even enjoyed the uniform, right down to her duty belt. The thing weighed 12 pounds, so it was easy to feel grounded. And the Stetson might be the reason she became a deputy.

She was on patrol when she noticed a red Jeep on the roadside with an obviously flat tire. Addressing the tire was a beautiful chestnut-haired woman. She already had the jack and lug wrench in place, the spare on the ground next to her, and was jumping on the wrench, trying to loosen a lug nut. Nicole hit the lights on, pulled the squad car over, parked then exited the vehicle. 

“Fudgenuggets! This stupid lug nut refuses to budge!” The woman’s expression was exasperated.

“Good morning, ma’am. You seem to be having some car trouble. Need some help?” Sometimes Nicole REALLY loved her job. She grinned and looped her thumbs into her belt as she walked over toward Waverly.

_She has her thumbs looped into her belt! Don’t swoon, Waverly!_ she said to herself, but was unable to control the redness that appeared on her cheeks. “Hey… officer! Yeah, this lug nut is giving me fits!”

“Well let me see if I can give you a hand.”

“Thanks!” Waverly jumps off the lug wrench. “I’m Waverly.”

“Hello, Officer Nicole Haught at your service.” Nicole smiled as she took Waverly‘s hand in hers. Waverly was surprised to find that the dimple in her left cheek was even more alluring in person. Waverly ignored the way her heart beat faster as Nicole’s hand closed around hers.

“Officer Haught? The new deputy in Purgatory! Small town, news travels fast.” Waverly was feeling complacent of the scenario she had created to meet Nicole. 

Nicole made quick work of removing the stubborn lug nut. After a quick change of the tire, Nicole checked the flat and found a nail in the tread. “Here is the puncture. It looks repairable. The Hardy Body Shop should be able to fix this. Champ’s a lug nut himself, but he’s competent enough to fix this.”

Waverly smiled at the insult. She had known of Champ. He had literally named his shop after his two favorite things: his body and himself. “Thanks, Officer Haught.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Waverly. When duty calls, I am happy to help.” Nicole placed the flat tire into the back of the Jeep while Waverly stowed the jack and lug wrench. They worked together in quiet efficiency, each seeming to know what the other was thinking. Equipment stowed, Nicole again looped her thumbs into her belt.

“I look forward to seeing you again! I mean, it’s a small town, people bump into each other all the time. Not that I would actively seek bumping into you. I mean, I know I will be running into you again. Oh, crap. I’ll be seeing you around!” Waverly stuttered out an awkward goodbye, unsure why her usual eloquence had disappeared. 

Nicole chuckled at Waverly’s embarrassment. She raised her hand in a small wave. “See you around.”

Waverly remembered she had a job to do, and darn it, she was going to do it! With her signature smile and wave, Waverly climbed into her Jeep, started it and drove away.


	2. Perhaps a little Cliche?

Waverly was excited to put the next phase of her plan in motion. She had “suggested” that both Nicole and Shae head to Shorty’s after work that evening. By suggested of course she meant she whispered the idea into their ears. You know the old folklore of the devil on one shoulder and the angel on the other? Yeah, she can do that. Plus, she likes poofing. Poof, now she is standing behind Shae undetected, tossing a suggestion into the air, (Shorty’s! Tonight at 7!), poof now she is gone!

This was her favorite part of her job: two souls were about to meet and she got to witness the result of her work. And at Christmastime! She could practically see the Christmas magic in the air. _They will both be sitting at the bar. Their eyes will meet, it will be love at first sight. Small pleasantries passed, perhaps some cheesy line said by Nicole, and sparks will fly. Someone will buy the drinks and the flirting will be so clever and sweet it gives cavities. And of course a spilled drink. _ It’s the gold standard girl meets girl setup! The oldest P.E.A.C.E. Maker trick in the book. __

_ _Both Shae and Nicole arrived at Shorty’s minutes apart from each other. Shae was there first and sat at the bar. Nicole followed, dressed casually in jeans and a nice shirt. Waverly was excited. Her plan was working and now they were both inside Shorty’s; one spilled drink from a date._ _

_ _Nicole scanned the room, and was surprised to see a beautiful woman with long black hair sitting alone at the bar. She had a dark complexion, deepened by the white cashmere sweater she wore. Her smile displayed a ruler-perfect row of teeth. She didn’t have a drink in front of her, so perhaps she had just arrived as well? No sense letting an opportunity like this go to waste. She walked to where Shae had sat down at the bar. “Is this seat taken?” she asked. _ _

_So much for cheesy memorable one-liners,_ Waverly thought. 

_ _Shae shook her head, motioning to the empty stool next to her. “Please, sit.” Introductions made, Shae offered to buy them both a drink. Shae ordered herself a glass of merlot and a beer for Nicole._ _

Waverly eavesdropped. Nicole said something clever which she couldn’t hear, and Shae laughed. _Wow. Even her laugh is perfect,_ she thought with envy. It seemed everything would be pretty straight forward for making sure they ended up together. 

_ _Halfway through their drinks, they had both turned in their barstools and were face to face. “A physician. Do you specialize in a certain field?” Nicole’s chin was propped on her hand, elbow resting on the bar, leaning forward ever so slightly to show she was curious about Shae’s work. _ _

_ _“You’re the police, care to deduce some possibilities?” Shae grinned. She looked down toward the floor, then raised her eyes to look at Nicole through her lashes.  
Nicole moved a hair’s breadth closer to Shae. “I’m a deputy, not a detective. My skills are developing, but not quite to your assumed standards.”_ _

_ _“Deputy. Complete with the cowboy hat and boots?” Shae had a grin on her face that said she had created an image of her in her uniform, and that she liked said image._ _

_ _“No cowboy boots.” Nicole blushed. She sat up, lifted her chin, then waved her hand in the air as if to explain the rest, “But the Stetson…”_ _

Waverly watched their interaction closely and took in everything that made Nicole intriguing. Form-fitting dark jeans covered her long legs. A purple button-up shirt wasn’t entirely buttoned up, and displayed a bit more skin than might be expected. Her red hair was down; cascading around her shoulders as she ducked her head in a shy smile. Waverly noted the way she spoke with composure. How easily she laughed. Her slender fingers wrapped around the bottle. And the dimples... She shook her head to clear it. _Get your head in the game, Waverly!_

__

_ _Waverly saw the chemistry Julian had explained back at the office. It really did make her work easy. Because she was there on a job after all. _So let’s get this show started,_ Waverly thought. Time for the spilled drink! All it took was a slight twitch of Waverly’s wrist, and a glass shifted directly in line of Nicole’s hand as she lowered it back towards the bar, and boom, the perfect spill. Right onto... a brunette who had hair like a mare with a Hollywood stylist. And she was not happy._ _

__

_ _“What the hell? Watch it! You spilled my whiskey all over my leather jacket!” The brunette, whose name was Wynonna, could not believe this. Talk about a pathetic end to a bad day. First they were out of her favorite donuts at the diner. Work didn’t go as planned, so she accomplished nothing for her entire shift. Then her truck, her faithful truck, ran out of gas on the way home. Being the town pariah meant no one picked her up, which made for a long walk back to town. All she wanted was a drink. Instead a perfectly good drink was now all over her jacket. And she felt like crying over spilled whiskey. _ _

__

_ _“I’m really sorry about that! I swear that drink wasn’t there a second ago. You kinda came from nowhere and must’ve startled me.” Nicole was visibly surprised by the arrival of this stranger. _ _

__

_ _“Yeah? Well, smooth move, ginger ninja.” Wynonna snorted at her own cleverness. _ _

__

_ _“Let me buy you a drink,” Nicole offered to placate the stranger._ _

__

_ _“Damn right, red! Hey, Bartender! A glass of your finest whiskey!” Wynonna reached for the proffered glass, winked and was gone quicker than she appeared. _ _

__

_ _“Well, that happened. I’m usually not that clumsy...” and Nicole turned to face Shae, barely grazing Shae’s wine glass which wasn’t there a moment earlier, knocking it over. The front of Shae’s white cashmere sweater now sported a very large, very red stain. _ _

__

_ _“What? Oh, I am so sorry!” Nicole quickly grabbed some napkins from a nearby stack. She began dabbing at the reddened fabric, trying to blot out the stain. Only realizing a second later that she was patting Shae’s breast. _ _

__

_ _Shae caught her eye, a beguiling smile on her lips. “First you buy another girl a drink while in my presence, and now you’re already going for second base with me? Nothing says ‘I like you’ like awkward boob touches!” _ _

__

_ _Nicole blushed adorably. “I am so sorry! I don’t know what is going on here.” She handed the napkins over to Shae. “Well, maybe I can make this up to you-” _ _

__

_ _A bartender with a blue eyes and an impressive mustache was suddenly standing on the other side of the bar. He interrupted the question about to be formed. “Pardon me, ladies, but it appears you are in need of some assistance. May I offer you a towel to dry off?” He extended his hand, providing a bar towel to Shae. _ _

__

_ _Waverly couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The bartender made eye contact with Waverly ever so briefly and winked at her. The nerve! His name was Doc and he was a real live mischief maker. (No, really. He was a hobgoblin, and they are famous for the trouble they cause.) And there he stood on the other side of the bar, making mischief! He truly was one of the best. Once he influenced an infamous world leader to grant citizenship to thousands of immigrants simply by sending him a stripper to whisper the idea into his head. The blowback from this leader’s supporters made Doc a legend overnight._ _

__

_ _The moment had passed. Shae was busily trying to address the stain on her sweater, with little success. “There is a good chance club soda can help remove that stain.” Doc slid a glass with bubbling water in it towards Shae. She nodded in thanks then headed toward the bathroom to clean up. Nicole was humiliated so she dropped some cash on the bar to pay for their drinks, thanked the bartender for his help, and grabbed her coat on her way to the exit. Doc grinned. _ _

__

Waverly was furious. She walked briskly to the bar, hands clenched next to her body. When she got to the bar, she pointed an accusatory finger into Doc’s face. “You are not allowed to interfere with my job! Nicole was _thisclose_ to asking Shae on a date! How dare you!” 

__

_ _“Oh, please!” Doc said as he rolled his eyes. “The spilled drink setup? That is so beneath you. You are far more clever that that.”_ _

__

_ _“What? That is a perfectly good setup! I... it’s... I chose it bec...” Waverly was at a loss for words. She began to doubt herself. “But I love the spilled drink setup,” she finished, dejectedly._ _

__

_ _Doc was pleased with himself. But he looked seriously at Waverly and stated, “Nicole deserves much better than that! What other ideas do you have?”_ _

__

_ _Waverly pulled out a piece of paper with quite an extensive number of items making a thorough list. She’s a planner, after all! And so much research… “Well, since it is nearing Christmas, there is always the Mistletoe Moment.”_ _

__

_ _“Trite.”_ _

__

_ _“The Gingerbread House Making Competition?”_ _

__

_ _Doc puckered his face. “Too sweet.”_ _

__

_ _“Oh! The Traditional Town Tree Tactic?” It was Waverly’s second favorite meet up setup! Christmas Carols are sung by a group of locals, dressed in Charles Dickens era clothes. Townspeople coming to decorate the Purgatory Christmas tree. The mayor flipping the switch to light up town, all the sparkling lights, the smells of evergreen and roasted chestnuts… all leading up to the perfect kiss that seals the deal. She could even throw in a snowman building contest to really jazz it up! She started getting positively giddy with this idea._ _

__

_ _“Waverly! I might as well make a drinking game out of these options. They are as tired as a worn-out boot.”_ _

__

_ _Waverly looked over her list. They were all great suggestions! Perhaps a little cliché? _Darn you, Doc._ “How about the Fundraising with Flair option? The sheriff’s office is trying to start a teen club of sorts and I know Nicole would sign up for that. Like a Bachelor and Bachelorette Auction?”_ _

__

_ _Doc considered this option carefully, crossing his arms in thought. His eyes looked off into the distance, and he began to nod his head in agreement slowly. “A perfect way for Nicole to demonstrate her compassion. Shae will surely see her dedication to her job and her true heart.” Actually, Doc was relieved. At last he had gotten Waverly to do exactly what he wanted._ _

__

_ _“Purgatory’s Most Eligible Bachelor and Bachelorette Auction… Yeah… I can make this work. Thanks, Doc! But I am still mad at you.” With a curt smile and wave, Waverly made her way out of Shorty’s, already planning how to make this The Event Not To Be Missed._ _

__


	3. Purgatory’s Most Eligible Bachelor and Bachelorette Auction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is why I wrote the story. Hope you like it!

“Purgatory’s Most Eligible Bachelor and Bachelorette Auction?” Nicole read the flyer that had landed in her inbox. “Nope! No way. Not interested.” _How demoralizing and sexist,_ Nicole thought.

“It’s for the kids,” Sheriff Randy Nedley stated with finality. “There aren’t any funds for a new coffee maker let alone these new programs you’re interested in starting. Plus, all the municipal departments are going to donate their time and resources. The Volunteer Fire Brigade has several bachelors on the block, and that is on top of the Purgatory Firefighter Calendar. The crew in sanitation have a bet they will raise the most money. Even the Mayor’s office is pitching in. It’s a good clean fun event that I know the whole town will love and support.”

Nedley had a point. Despite the closed doors in Purgatory there were plenty of open hearts. “Besides, the ladies who care for the rectory are keen on getting kids away from spray painting lewd images on the back of the church, and they are the brains behind this idea. Once those ladies make up their minds, it is as good as already happened.”

“Can’t I pick up a shift instead? A double? I’ll work Christmas!” Nicole looked hopefully to her boss.

“No amount of bribery will get you out of this, Haught. Plus, you’re already working Christmas.” Nedley said.

“Ugh, I know. But still…” Nicole looked around the bullpen for an answer to her prayers, then approached one of her fellow deputies. “Lonnie - I will take the next month of weekends if you let me work that night!”

“No way, Nicole! I am signing up for this! I am already off!”

"Lonnie, you’re married!” Nicole threw her hands up.

“Hey, it’s for the kids! And besides, who wouldn’t want a piece of this action?” Lonnie moved his hands down his body with pride, then strutted toward the exit, a smirk across his face.

“Jamie, I’ll trade you!” Nicole was getting nervous.

“Nope! Not happening.” Jamie hastily grabbed a stack of papers to be filed away and moved out of the room as quickly as she could.

“Dolls! Please!”

Dolls stood ramrod straight, reviewing a case file in his hands. “This is obviously some extravagant ploy dreamed up by external forces to get two people together. No way am I interfering with whatever group set this up.”

“Really Dolls? External forces?”

“I want no part of it.” His face remained stoic, unwavering.

Nicole tried another approach. “That crazy chick with a gun might be there. I see the heart eyes when you think about her.”

Doll’s jaw flinched ever so slightly, but remained firm. “Hard pass.”

“Sometimes a deputy has to do what they have to do. That means suit up for this auction.” Nedley stood up. “Well, its 5:00, I am going to head to Shorty’s. The Christmas crowd is enjoying Shorty’s Peppermint Holiday Old Fashioned. Carl always ends up doing something more stupid than normal after drinking those. I should just throw him in the drunk tank as a preventative measure.”

“Really? So there is no way to get out of this?” Nicole slumped down into her chair. “All that would make this day better would be some gluten-free pizza for dinner,” she grumbled.

And that was exactly what she ended up having.

🎄🎄🎄

_The Auction_

There were no empty seats in the Purgatory High School Auditorium. It seemed everyone turned out for the Benefit Sheriff Nedley had organized. Okay, the Benefit the Rectory ladies organized. Okay, the Benefit suggested by Waverly to the Ladies. All Waverly needed to do was put some angel dust on some poinsettias, deliver them to the church, and ‘lo and behold’ this idea formed perfectly in the Ladies’ minds. All the ladies were completely on the same page, sharing the same thought. Much to the surprise of everyone, it took zero organization. That in itself was a feat only an angel could pull off.

Judge Cryderman stood at the front of the room. As the emcee of the night’s event, he loved having all eyes on him. He was constantly smoothing out the lapels of his maroon crushed velvet jacket, perhaps trying to draw attention to his clothing choice. Perhaps he was preening for the ladies. Unfortunately the bourbon he spilled there had taken on an unflattering sheen.

“Sold to Bunny Loblaw! For a bargain-basement price of $100! Lonnie, who promises to fulfill your wildest Christmas fantasy. So Lonnie, is that a candy cane in your pocket or are you just happy to be part of Mrs. Loblaw’s fantasy?” Only Cryderman laughed at his own joke. Bunny was overheard planning a potential Portuguese cruise theme date.

“Next up: Deputy Nicole Haught.” The judge read from a prepared index card, neatly typed out.“This here says Nicole moved to Purgatory to enjoy the small town life. She is happy to be helping the cause. Loves rock climbing, hockey, walks in the forest, and the ladies. She promises a fun evening of ice skating and hot chocolate.”

Waverly had taken her time making the index card. She was a planner! She wanted everyone to know that although Nicole was gorgeous, she was also bright, compassionate, and interesting.

“Well, it sounds like some lucky lady is in for a smokin’ Haught time!” Cryderman smirked. “A show of hands! Let’s start the bidding off at $50.”

A second redhead in attendance, Mercedes Gardner, quickly shot her hand up. “Sign me up!” The resident rich sugar mama began the bidding.

Kate took notice of Mercedes’ bid, and felt compelled to bid as well. “$60!” She yelled. She had allegedly been living at the Gardner residence. Some said for free, others implied favors were fulfilled.

Shae, intrigued by Nicole’s amused yet slightly awkward posture, felt a potential date had been on Nicole’s mind at Shorty’s.Perhaps she could take the first step. “$75,” she said.

The judge started fanning himself with the card in his hand. “Well, this is interesting! Three bids already and we have just gotten started! Who says blondes have all the fun? Apparently it’s redheads!”

Nicole started to blush. Sure, she thought of herself as not a bad catch, but this much attention was unexpected. The Judge continued, saying, “No sense beating around the bush, so to speak! Do I hear $100?”

“Hey-oh.” Wynonna was eager to pay back the redhead for spilling her whiskey. It was the good stuff, after all! Plus, Nicole Haught? _Haught_? So many puns hit her brain at once that she could barely sit still.

“$100! Well, then why not $125?”

“$125!” Mercedes was standing now, eyes locked with Kate’s, and dared her to outbid her. She started moving slowly and deliberately towards Kate.

“$200.” Kate started taking steps in Mercedes’ direction. Her eyes became small slits, seeing the dare and taking it. The crowd let out an “ooh!”

Waverly sat in the back, mouth hanging open. She was getting a little worried at the scene that had developed. _This was supposed to be an easy peasy setup for Shae to win Nicole._

“$300.” Mercedes stepped towards Kate.

“$400.” Kate stepped towards Mercedes and the two were nose to nose.

“Are you serious right now?” Mercedes face color quickly approached that of her hair. “You think buying a date is supposed to make me jealous?” Kate simply stared back with a victorious smirk on her face.

The judge was getting excited. A scandal of any kind took the heat off him, and he could use a breather after the epic fail of the Wainwright Hotel Fiasco. “Seems a lovers’ quarrel is brewing! I love myself a lady-on-lady cat fight as much as anyone. However, Christmas is approaching, and Santa only comes once a year.” Nicole rolled her eyes _This guy is such a douche, _she thought. “Perhaps we can get back to it? Last bid is set for $400! Do I hear any other takers? How about we raise to $450?”

Mercedes stormed out of the room, clearly bothered by Kate’s actions. Tasting victory, Kate sat back down, satisfied.

“$450.” Shae spoke out, clearly entertained by what was transpiring around her.She was encouraged by the smile on Nicole’s face.

“$475.” Wynonna raised the bid. She was really getting into the heat of the moment, even though she thought things were getting a bit crazy. She just wanted revenge on Nicole; maybe torture her a little with some piss-poor puns (she had a few Haught burns in her back pocket.) Plus, it was a very good whiskey, and she loved her leather jacket!

Kate sat back and shook her head. The fun of trying to outbid Mercedes had passed with her departure. No sense in continuing.

Waverly was happy to have Kate and Mercedes out of the picture, but now she needed to remove Wynonna. She quickly went through her knowledge bank of spells. It didn’t need to be a big spell. Just a little defensive nudge to get the competition out of the way._ Stomach bug? No, too messy. Narcolepsy? No, I don’t want to panic the crowd. Freeze frame? too obvious. Sneezing spell? Yes! Annoying and common enough to overlook!_ Just as she was getting ready to toss a sneezing spell towards Wynonna, three things happened simultaneously: the judge raised the bid with a quick, “Anyone, $500?”; Waverly created her spell by blowing magic sneezing dust in Wynonna’s direction-adding a little flair by flicking her wrist upwards; and Doc pinched Waverly. The spell intended for Wynonna was quickly followed by a series of sneezes from Shae. Doc’s pinch had caused the spell to veer from Wynonna to Shae. The pinch also happened to make Waverly stand up, throw her hand in the air, and accidentally confirm a bid of $500 with a surprised “oh!” escaping her lips. She turned around, searching for the culprit, but found no one. The punky hobgoblin had blended into the darkness in the corner, unobserved.

“$500! What do you say, any takers for $550?”

Wynonna shook her head. What was she thinking? That money could easily buy several replacement bottles of the whiskey. She might even consider upgrading. Spontaneously she googled “most expensive whiskey.” It was Christmas, after all.

Shae desperately tried to get her sneezing under control. She couldn’t get a word out, as sneeze after sneeze escaped. A crowd had gathered around her trying to help, which blocked the Judge’s view of her.

“No takers for $550? Going once, going twice, sold! To the tiny enthusiastic brunette in the back! Officially the highest bid of the night.”

Waverly could not believe what just happened. She looked up to the stage and met Nicole’s eyes. The redhead had a surprised look, which gently softened into a pleased grin as she looked down to the floor almost shyly. Waverly’s heart skipped a beat, and her stomach came alive with a thousand butterflies. She nervously smiled and waved at Nicole. _What have I done?_


	4. Ice Capades and Hot Cocoa

Back at P.E.A.C.E Maker, both Waverly and Julian paced back and forth in his office. 

“You can’t go on a date with Nicole!” Julian was perplexed by this turn of events.

“I can’t go on a date with Nicole!” Waverly was a bit nervous. She couldn’t go on this date! Her job was to set Nicole up with Shae! One, she never messed up a case. She was good at her job! And two, Nicole was a client. There were policies and procedures in place for this situation! She wasn’t supposed to develop feelings for someone she worked for, even if that person didn’t know they were a client. 

“You have to go on this date with Nicole!” Doc had appeared in the office from out of nowhere. 

“Doc. I KNEW there was something afoot last night. No way I could have messed up that much.” Waverly let out an exasperated sigh. 

“Waverly, are you certain they are soulmates? You do not want Nicole to be hurt by filling the void in her life with the wrong match!” Doc had removed his hat, brushed off some imaginary dust and placed it back on his head.

Julian spoke up, “56/60! Doc! The numbers don’t lie!” 

“Ok, then, why not allow Waverly to verify the numbers? No harm can come from that. I am not so sure they both have an affinity for the same activities. Plus, it is a charity donation. You don’t renege on charity! Do you want to break her heart by abandoning her? Her soul couldn’t take it.”

Waverly faltered. She walked over to the couch and sat down. _Perhaps the date would be beneficial for the case, you know, to recheck the numbers. I could think of a lot worse ways to spend an evening. I like ice skating, and Nicole would look great on the ice…_ “I’ve been doing this job for a while, Doc. I’m good at it! Why this case? You’ve had no problem with previous cases.”

“Nicole is special. Anyone with eyes can see that,” Doc implored.

“This is an unorthodox approach to setting them up. No, I won’t approve this.” Julian hesitated when protesting, so Doc pressed on.

“All right. If not directly for Nicole then allow it for the agency. P.E.A.C.E Maker’s image will surely be tarnished by this blunder. Participate in a fund raiser and not fulfill the bargain? Who will trust the agency after word gets out?”

This stopped Julian’s pacing. The Agency was his baby, and it had a 90% approval rating among the elves, sprites, witches and warlocks. Everyone loves love. The Elves have a saying, ‘A happy sprite is a happy life.' Even the gnomes respected Julian after matching Monique to the incapable-of-love garden gnome George. (George was notoriously unkempt, even for a garden gnome. Talk about a hard sell.)

Julian took in a lung full of air, then slowly exhaled. “I will approve this action in order to fulfill the bargain only. It will be easy enough to prove we were right on matching soulmates.”

“OK, I’ll do it.” Waverly agreed. “For the agency. And she is my responsibility. I want to make sure Shae is the right one for her.”

“Waverly I expect you to be a model example of a P.E.A.C.E. Maker agent. Fulfill the date, look for potential discrepancies, answer any questions you might still have and find another way to get her with Shae,” Julian instructed.

Waverly rose from the couch, determined. She was the professional, and the situation was a curve ball but fixable. “Right. I will report back tomorrow morning,” and with that she left the office.

🎄🎄🎄

Later that evening…

The town park was alive with the young and old enjoying the winter festival. There were some booths set up where artisans were selling their wares, food carts with roasted chestnuts, warm cookies, hot cocoa and ciders. The ice rink sat in the open field near the stage where they held concerts in the summer. String lights on wood poles surrounded the rink, providing adequate light for those enjoying the ice.

Waverly walked toward the rink. She was wrapped in a soft blue scarf, fluffy mittens and matching hat, skates in hand. Nicole was easy to spot even wearing her beanie, red hair pulled into a ponytail that now sat at the nape of her neck and fell partway down the middle of her back. She faced the vendors, looking in a different direction as Waverly approached. This gave the brunette time to watch her.

Nicole took everything in with a look of childish wonder. Her chocolate brown eyes reflected the lights strung around the park. A shadow surrounded the dimple of her left cheek. An elementary aged child skated by her in full hockey gear, at full speed and Nicole laughed good-naturedly at the sight. When Nicole spotted Waverly, she got into a squat position, began pushing off the inside edges of her skates, and quickly covered the distance in a matter of seconds. She stopped with an impressive spray of ice.

“Cocky,” Waverly’s eyes twinkled, she seemed at a loss for words.

Nicole shrugged and smiled. “Hey.” She subtly shook her head, took a deep breath and continued, “You brought your own skates.”

Waverly looked down at the skates in her hand; she had forgotten they were there. “Yeah. I like ice skating. I’m no Meagan Duhamel but I can hold my own.”

“Perfect. Well then, shall we?” Nicole motioned toward a bench near the ice for Waverly to sit. After Waverly donned her skates, both women glided onto the ice. Nicole noted that she had about five inches of height over the smaller woman. They both took warm up laps, weaving between couples, children and beginners. Nicole alternated between facing forward, then backward. “Ok, so you can skate, though I’d peg you more as a Tessa Virtue,” the redhead teased. “What other interests do you have?” Nicole asked her all the while skating backwards so they were face to face.

“You make it sound like there are options in Purgatory. I do enjoy dancing, reading, studying ancient languages,” Waverly sped up just enough to grab Nicole by the wrists, and gently turned both of them, reversing their previous positions.

“There are limited dating options here for sure. But I found some stuff to do. There is always a pickup game of hockey.” Nicole guided Waverly back and forth across the ice, flawlessly moving in sync with the smaller brunette.

“You like being a deputy?” Waverly inquired.

“Yes. Every day is different. One day may be all traffic tickets and filing reports, which isn’t my favorite thing to do, the next you’re helping a distressed motorist change a tire,” Nicole again teased, and was rewarded with a grin accompanied by shake of the head from the shorter brunette.

“I wasn’t distressed! Another minute I would have had that tire changed!” Waverly looked at her hands and realized she was still holding onto Nicole, but her hands had migrated from her wrists into the taller girl’s hands. Slowly, as to not draw attention to it, Waverly released her hold and turned to skate next to Nicole. If the redhead noticed, she made no mention of it.

“I know you would have.” Nicole smiled, and Waverly tried to calm her beating heart. “So, Waverly, how long have you lived here in Purgatory?”  
“Born and raised, I’m afraid,” she answered. “I am one of the lucky ones, I love it here.”

“And what do you do?” Nicole inquired.

Waverly tensed her shoulders and found herself tongue tied. Being the planner she was, she was surprised she hadn’t planned for this question. _Of course she’d want to know what I did! What are you, Waverly, a rookie here?_ “Um… I’m a… social worker of sorts. I help people… get on the right track in their lives.” Happy with her answer, she relaxed a bit.

“I could see that. You have a heart for helping people.” Nicole smiled, then picked up her speed, challenging Waverly to an impromptu race around the rink. Happy to have a change in subject, Waverly happily picked up her speed to catch Nicole.

The two continued this friendly interchange. _Nicole is easy to be around. I could easily spend hours simply talking with her._ Waverly thought. She understood what Doc was trying to say. Nicole was special. _Darn you, Doc for putting these thoughts in my head. I was perfectly happy just doing my job..._ She cleared her throat in an attempt to clear her mind. __

_ _Though she knew the answers, she asked other get-to-know-you questions, if only to hear Nicole talk. “Where did you grow up?”_ _

_ _“In Colorado. Another nothing small town that I couldn’t wait to escape. It’s ironic that I ended up in Purgatory.”_ _

_ _“Probably just as cold there?” Waverly rubbed her arms to warm them. They had been skating for over an hour, and Waverly had begun to feel the effects of the cold._ _

_ _“How about some hot cocoa? I saw a booth back in town advertising hot drinks,” Nicole suggested. Waverly nodded in agreement, and they changed back into snow boots. They passed Waverly’s Jeep and dropped their skates into it on the way. _ _

_ _They stopped at a booth selling warm drinks and cookies. “Good evening, Robin. How is the hot chocolate today?” Nicole greeted the vendor by name._ _

_ _“Have you ever wondered if just once it wanted to be called beautiful chocolate?” The three of them laughed. “Speaking of beautiful, it is wonderful to see you Waverly.”_ _

_ _A blush immediately appeared on her cheeks despite the cold. “We were already going to buy something. No need to butter us up!”_ _

_ _In her head, Nicole agreed with Robin’s observation of Waverly’s beauty. Out loud she said, “two beautiful chocolates then.”_ _

_ _Robin complied, serving two cups complete with whipped cream. Nicole paid Robin and then picked up the cups. “Enjoy!” He waved as the two women turn toward each other. As Nicole handed one to Waverly, their hands touched. Even through the the fabric of the gloves and mittens they could feel heat. And it wasn’t the hot chocolate. Both smiled, looked at each other, then turned their attention toward the other booths._ _

_ _They wandered, looking left and right with no real destination in mind. “I love how Purgatory looks at Christmastime,” Waverly sighed. “The lights, the decorations, people running around smiling instead of untrusting and cold.”_ _

_ _“It has been better the past few weeks. When I first arrived it was pretty lonely,” Nicole admitted, sadness in her tone. “I’m not complaining. I do love it here. It just took a while.”_ _

Waverly took in the changing emotions that crossed the taller woman’s face. _I wish we got to her sooner. But everything happens in its own time, doesn’t it?_ “I am glad to have met you, Nicole.” 

_ _The smile that radiated from Nicole warmed the brunette more than the touch from her hand had earlier in the evening.__

_ _🎄🎄🎄_ _

__  
As their evening came to a conclusion, Nicole and Waverly walked slowly back towards the Jeep to collect Nicole’s skates. “This has been fun. And for a good cause, too!” Waverly grinned.

_ _“Right! Nedley was so excited he didn’t have to work to get this funding! You’d have thought a marathon of Pretty Little Liars was on!” Nicole chuckled at the picture that painted. They had reached the Jeep. “Seriously, though. Thank you for a great evening.” Nicole now had her skates in her hand and an indecisive look in her eyes._ _

_ _“Great evening, yeah.” Waverly gazed at Nicole several seconds, longer than what would be considered a polite exchange of looks._ _

_ _“Nicole!” A woman’s voice broke their attention. Both heads turned toward the voice. Shae walked up from the other side of the road. “On your Auction Date I assume?”_ _

_ _“Yeah.” Nicole blinked several times in an effort to clear her thoughts, then made introductions._ _

_ _“Nice to meet you, Waverly. I must say I was a bit saddened to be outbid.” Shae admitted. “Would it be okay if I bought you two a drink? A celebratory toast towards a record-breaking evening of fund raising?”_ _

_ _An opportunity for Nicole and Shae to take the next step forward in their relationship had suddenly presented itself. “Uh, no thanks. I need to be on my way. I just really believed in the cause and wanted to help out where I could! Besides, I’m working - I mean going to work tomorrow, bright and early!” Waverly sputtered out, the reality of the situation occurring to her. She sighed. “And now that my end of the bargain has been fulfilled, there really isn’t a need for me to stick around.” She began moving slowly toward the driver side of the Jeep._ _

_ _“Oh, okay. I will see you around? I really had a nice time tonight.” Nicole was confused by the sudden change in Waverly’s demeanor._ _

_ _“Yeah, I will definitely see you around!” With a less than enthusiastic smile and wave, Waverly hopped in her Jeep, started it, and pulled away into the night. Waverly finally had her opportunity to set up a date, which surprisingly left her subdued._ _


	5. A Date With a Soulmate and Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise Wayhaught is endgame!

Nicole and Shae’s celebratory drink did indeed lead to a date. Nicole admitted to herself that she had thought there was a possibility that something could blossom with Waverly. However, her abrupt departure after skating led Nicole to think she wasn’t interested. The skate date was simply to fulfill an obligation for the fund raiser. And Shae was considered a catch. She was smart, beautiful, funny. This close to Christmas, Nicole felt hopeful.

Nicole and Shae ended up at the nicest restaurant in Purgatory, The China Dragon. Perhaps the reason for the limited dating options was in direct correlation to the limited date night options. 

The China Dragon was done up as Christmas with a flair. It was an already colorful venue with traditional Chinese art on every wall, a red or green dragon adorning nearly every picture. With the addition of Christmas decorations, including the creepiest Santa Nicole had ever seen (it was the size of a small child!), it became overstimulating. She regretted this as a first date option.

Despite the setting, Shae looked elegant in a formfitting blue knit dress with long sleeves and turtleneck collar, which only enhanced toned arms and her long neck. Nicole was comfortable and warm in cream pants and an emerald green sweater.

They were seated at a booth. Thankfully Creepy Santa was not in their line of sight. Drinks were served and food was ordered, and they settled into conversation.

“Why Purgatory? Surely there are bigger, better opportunities elsewhere,” Nicole inquired. 

“The small town appealed to me. You see it all here and then some. I wanted to get some practical experience before I decided what area of expertise I should focus on.”

“You were about to tell me about that at Shorty’s the other night. What seems to appeal to you the most?”

“I still haven’t come to a decision. Orthopedics is at the top of my list. Maybe Women’s health.” Shae speculated. “Perhaps what appeals to me can’t be found in a hospital,” she added with a flirty grin.

Nicole sat back in her seat, a small grin on her face. She was impressed by Shae’s boldness, and found herself unsure how to respond. She was spared a reply by the arrival of the food.

At that moment, Waverly poofed unseen into the restaurant. She just wanted to check in on her match; make sure the date was going well. That’s all. She poofed right next to the most hideous Santa she had ever seen, which made her jump in shock. 

“Macabre, right?” Doc had also appeared unseen.

Waverly jumped a second time in less than 5 seconds. “Doc! What are you doing here?”

“I had nothing better to do so I thought I would see what transpires in Purgatory.” Doc looked casually about the restaurant. “I wonder what brings you to this fine establishment? Oh, look! Apparently Nicole and Shae are having dinner.”

“It is totally acceptable that I make sure everything is going well.” Waverly stated defensively. “And don’t you even think of interfering!”

“I had no such intentions!” Doc put his hands up in surrender. Both looked toward the couple starting to eat their meal. “Nicole is looking quite lovely,” Doc raised his eyebrows appreciatively. He noticed the quiet lull in the conversation at the table. “Looks like they are having a delightful time,” Doc added, sounding like he was bored.

Waverly had already noticed how the green sweater complimented her hair flowing down over her shoulders. Yes, Nicole was looking quite nice. “Hey! Give it time!” She found herself becoming irritated with this demon. Shae leaned toward Nicole and said something, causing the pair to laugh. “See? It looks like they ARE having a ‘delightful time’.”

“Don’t be cross,” Doc sighed. “Though I do believe Nicole appeared to be having a much better time skating with you the other night,” and with that, he disappeared.

Waverly turned toward Doc to give him a piece of her mind, only to discover he was no longer there. She was exasperated, though she wasn’t sure why. Was he being critical of her job? Or did he touch on something that made Waverly quite uncomfortable? Developing feelings for a match… No. Waverly was a professional, doing her job. Unsettled, she glanced once more toward the couple it was her job to match, then she poofed away from the China Dragon.

The date progressed as most dates do, get to know you questions and life stories shared. 

Nicole was sharing a funny anecdote about a camping trip. “My friends and I knew it was going to rain later that evening, so we set up a few tarps over the picnic table and some of our gear. It was still sunny, but then we heard the front approaching. It was like a wall of wind moving right at us! And when it blew through our campsite, the tarps started flapping like crazy, everyone was grabbing ropes and tarps because it was all blowing away. The campsite was a complete mess! Tarps down, dishes blown onto the ground… Then it started to rain.”

At this both women started to laugh. As the laughter died, an awkward pause in the conversation fell over the couple.

Nicole didn’t understand what was wrong. Everything was wonderful the other night. Well, until she spilled wine all over Shae and left the bar embarrassed. Now here she sat, with a beautiful woman, and it was a nice date, but something was missing.

🎄🎄🎄

Nicole had driven, and was taking Shae home. She pulled up to a newer house in the nicer neighborhood of Purgatory. She turned into the driveway, killed the engine, and pivoted in her seat to look at Shae. “I’ll walk you to your door?”

“Okay.” Shae and Nicole exited the car at the same time and met at the front of the car. Their walk held tension: anticipation of possibilities. Upon reaching the front door, Shae turned toward Nicole and moved to close any distance that existed between them. She took her hand and ran it down Nicole’s arm, and ended up holding her hand. “Thanks for tonight. I had a nice time.” Shae then leaned forward, slowly, placing a kiss on Nicole’s lips.

Honestly, Nicole had been looking forward to this kiss. She wanted to know for sure. _Is this someone I can fall in love with?_ she wondered. Here they were, kissing, and it was… okay. Not terrible. Shae was a great kisser, but there was just no electricity. _I wonder if there would be a spark if I kissed Waverly._

Nicole stopped the kiss. She was remorseful, thinking of kissing another woman while kissing Shae. She couldn’t even meet her eyes.

“So there won’t be a next time” Shae deduced. Her voice was lined with disappointment. 

“I’m sorry, Shae.” Nicole wanted to put her thoughts into words, but didn’t want to hurt Shae’s feelings. So she opted to sigh, turn, and walk to her car. Shae didn’t try to stop her, and Nicole took that as a sign they both felt the same way. Nicole started the car, backed away from the house, and drove home with a heavy heart.

🎄🎄🎄

The next day Nicole was out playing hockey with several townspeople. The group she played with consisted of some fellow deputies, a few firemen, and some high schoolers. They had started a pickup game, one of Nicole’s favorite pastimes.

There was chatter going on, all friendly banter and teasing jabs at each other. It was helping Nicole clear her head from the previous night’s date that ended so disastrously. A thought popped into her head. _How could I have been thinking of kissing another woman while Shae was kissing me? _

She skated to the side of the ice, needing to refocus. A water bottle rested in the snowbank. She bent down to get it and then took a drink, attempting to cleanse her thoughts. She looked around Purgatory, fully decorated for the holiday. She had grown fond of the town over the winter. It seemed like a Christmas gift to be have friends who also enjoyed hockey. _This Christmas would be perfect with Waverly at my side._ The truth punched her in the gut and the world suddenly made sense. She chuckled to herself at the revelation. She looked toward the booths her and Waverly visited just nights before and in an act of serendipity saw the object of her distraction heading her way, two steaming cups in hand.

“Beautiful chocolate?” Waverly handed a cup to Nicole with a friendly smile, craning her neck due to the additional height provided by the skates.

“You know that calling it that isn’t going to change the name, right?”

“I know. But it’s fun to say. The word beautiful isn’t used enough, so I’m bringing it back.”

_You are beautiful _ Nicole thought to herself. She accepted one of the cups, again their hands touched, and the heat was no less than it had been the night when they ice skated together. _This will never get old as long as we are together._

“How did things go last night?” Waverly inquired between sips of her hot chocolate.

Nicole looked down at her skates. “Just okay, not great.”

“Well that doesn’t sound promising. Want to talk about it?”

_Boy do I. But how? _ Unfortunately, courage seemed to be just out of Nicole’s reach. “There was nothing specific. She is nice, smart, gorgeous, funny… but something was missing.”

“What?” Waverly said with a little more volume than necessary. She was surprised at this revelation. 56/60! The numbers don’t lie! She searched her brain wondering what she did wrong.

Nicole was taken aback by the force of the small brunette’s response. She shrugged one shoulder, “There was no spark. I guess it wasn’t meant to be.”

“But you two looked like a perfect match!” Waverly bit her tongue. That was as close to a reveal as she should come.

“Well, the stars lied, because we weren’t.” Nicole didn’t intend to be snippy. Why was Waverly so invested in her date? She tried to calm herself. “Any chance we could talk about anything else? What are your plans for Christmas?”

“The usual, hanging out with family- hey! You changed the subject!” Waverly looked at Nicole then, and could see discomfort there. Respectfully, she demurred and redirected the conversation. “I see the girl from the diner is here.”

“Who, Sonora? Yeah, she is a great kid. She was given a tough hand of cards to play at the start of her life. She just needs someone to believe in her right now so she can see how amazing a kid she is.”

“You believe in her then.”

Nicole nodded in agreement. “We all do. Since we started hanging out her grades have improved and she smiles more often than not.”

“I think it is wonderful what you are doing here.”

_Ask her out. Ask her out. Come on, Nicole, you got this!_ “Well, it’s the least I can do. Everyone needs someone in their corner, right?”

“Right. Hey, I’m in your corner, you know. I am sorry your date didn’t go well.”

_Ask her out!_ “I’ll be fine.”

“I know you will be.”

_Ask her out!_ “Ugh! Why is this so hard!” Nicole mumbled under her breath.

“Excuse me?”

Surrendering to her heart, summoning that elusive courage, Nicole turned and said, “The reason the date didn’t go so well is because I was thinking of you.”

Waverly’s mouth dropped open. “Oh.”

She steeled herself and continued on. “And I think it’s because I was supposed to be on that date with you, not Shae.”

Waverly’s head dropped, “Oh.”

“So I was wondering if maybe you’d like to go on a date sometime? With me?”

Waverly’s mouth opened, then closed. Then opened and closed again. Her lips felt dry, and her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. She sighed, looked up at Nicole, who was staring at her expectantly. She looked back down at the ground. “I can’t.” then took some of the hardest steps of her life - away from Nicole.

Nicole was left standing on the ice, alone, feeling her whole world crumble around her.


	6. Merry Christmas Angel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot thank all of you enough for your kudos and comments. This Earper is very grateful for you.

Waverly ended up back at P.E.A.C.E. Maker. She was sitting in her computer chair, spinning clockwise and counterclockwise. She couldn’t even smile at the “Nicest Angel” sash that was framed and hung on the wall behind her. She was lost in her own thoughts. _What just happened? It was supposed to be Shae. The Compatibility Test never misses. Nicole looked so hurt, and I caused that look in her eyes. But I couldn’t say yes. That would be crossing lines that shouldn’t be crossed!_

“That’s it! The Compatibility Test never misses!” Waverly spun the desk chair around to face the computer, grabbed the mouse to click on an icon labeled ‘Coupling Compatibility Scale’ and began typing.

Nearly an hour later she was completing the last of the questions:  
_55\. Yes_  
_56\. No_  
_57\. No_  
_58\. 7_  
_59\. Yellow_  
_60\. O-_  
She nervously tapped her fingers on the desk next to the keyboard. “Well, here goes nothing,” she said quietly. Then she moved the pointer over the button on the bottom of the screen using the mouse. _Submit Answers?_ She clicked the button indicating yes.

“Hey, Waves! What are you up to?” Jeremy walked by, made eye contact, then leaned on the desk. 

Waverly startled ever so slightly. “Oh… I… um… I’m completing the CCS. On myself. And Nicole.”

“Fascinating! I always wanted to do that on myself and a certain cute vendor downtown! What’s it say?”

“It’s compiling the data now. I should have an answer shortly.” Her leg was jumping up and down and she became more anxious with every second that passed.

“Wait - Nicole Haught? I thought Shae Pressman was her soulmate?” Jeremy was confused.

Waverly hesitated. How could she justify this test? Instead, she shrugged one shoulder and looked back to the computer. “I was just curious.”

Seeing the tense look on his friend’s face, Jeremy said nothing, but moved to the other side of the desk and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. Then he waited with her.

Finally, the screen showed a box:  
_Test complete.  
Print results?_

Waverly pressed Yes and Jeremy walked over to the printer. “What does it say, Jeremy?” she asked.

His eyes scanned down the page, passing over the explanatory paragraphs of several major points. Then his eyes went wide. “59/60! I’ve never seen that high a score!”

Waverly jumped up and grabbed the papers from her friend. “Are you sure? I didn’t think that was possible!” Her eyes also scanned down the page, picking up a few phrases here and there. _Astronomy compatibility: High. MBTI: perfect match. CCS result: 59/60._

“You need to go talk to your dad,” Jeremy stated unnecessarily.

Waverly agreed. “I need to go talk to my dad.”

🎄🎄🎄

“Dad, I did everything I could! Both matched. The initial setup backfired, but the date happened as anticipated.” Waverly slumped into a chair in Julian’s office.

“Then what in heaven’s name happened? This was supposed to be an open and shut case.”

“Well for one thing I wasn’t expecting interference from a hobgoblin.” Waverly complained.

With that, Doc appeared from thin air into the room. “Nicole and Shae aren’t soulmates. You are her soulmate, Waverly.”

“Doc! What makes you think you have a say in this matter? You’ve been nothing but trouble!” Julian was angry at this mischief maker and showed it.

“I have been nothing but correct! I only interfered because this is one you missed.” Doc pointed at Julian accusingly.

Doc continued, addressing Waverly this time. "You two are supposed to be together. You two are Wayhaught. Is there anything better than that?”

Waverly said nothing. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, then her eyes went wide. Finally she became very still.

“I am not buying it. Waverly, do you think there is any chance Nicole will give Shae another try?” Julian interjected.

“No. I am confident of this.” Waverly replied assuredly.

“As am I,” Doc added.

“What makes you so certain that you are right? 56/60 markers matched!” Julian directed the followup question to Waverly.

“Because she asked me out instead.” Waverly answered.

“What?” Julian was dumbfounded. It was inconceivable.

“Even Nicole knows what is true and correct.” Doc argued.

“I know, the numbers don’t lie! So I ran the test on myself.” Waverly stated quietly.

Julian was hesitant to hear the answer. “What did it say?”

“59/60.” Waverly presented the report to Julian.

Julian sat down hard in his chair behind the desk, eyes scanning the report. “59/60. Wow. Only soulmates from the beginning of time can match those numbers. Why didn’t you say anything before? You had to have suspected something.”

“I was doing my job! Per your instructions!” Waverly said, a bit defensively.

“Which were wrong,” Doc added.

Her dad went quiet for a moment. He needed time to think.

“Waverly, go talk to Nicole,” Doc suggested. Then turning to Julian, “One look at the two of them together, and I assure you, Julian, you will see the error of your ways.”

Julian and Waverly looked at each other and tried to determine if this was what they should do.

Doc continued, “I do not care about many things in this world. But for you, Waverly, I want only the best. And Nicole Haught is the best. She is special. She alone is worthy of your love.”

“Waverly, what do you think we should do?” Julian also wanted only the best for his daughter.

Not wanting to disappoint her dad, Waverly tried to be diplomatic. “I know she will not pursue Shae. And I know it’s unconventional, soulmates between Angels and humans. But it’s possible Doc is right. Because since the moment you handed me her case file, her happiness was all that mattered to me. And the more I tried to do my job, the more I found myself falling for her.”

Then Julian understood. “You love her.”

Waverly smiled, “Yes, I love her.”

Julian returned her smile. Even though he did not enjoy admitting defeat, he swallowed his pride and hugged his daughter. “Then who am I to get in the way? Don’t let me keep you. You have to go see about a girl.”

🎄🎄🎄

Waverly found herself heading to the one place she knew Nicole would go to seek solace, the town park ice rink. It was Christmas Eve. There were only a few people skating, and as usual Nicole was easy to spot. It was late afternoon; the fading daylight added a radiance to Nicole’s face and hair. Waverly absorbed all of the essence that was Nicole. 

Dressed in a soft-looking deep blue fleece and warm up pants that had a blue stripe down the sides, Nicole was skating with purpose. She skated around the outskirts of the rink. She glided on the long stretches, then made swift work of the ends of the ice, placing quick steps, right foot over left foot to complete a half turn and glide down the opposite stretch of ice. There was power and grace in the way her body moved on the ice. Waverly found herself struggling to remember to breathe.

She walked up to the edge of the ice and watched Nicole skate. Nicole was in her own world, paying attention to others on the ice but little else. Finally, she noticed Waverly and the rest of the world faded away. Slowly this time, Nicole skated in her direction, an unreadable expression on her face. She reached the place where Waverly waited.

“Walk with me?” Waverly said in barely a whisper. Nicole didn’t reply, but moved toward a nearby bench, sat down, and began to remove her skates. Waverly took this as a good sign.

Snow boots on, Nicole rose and they walked in silence toward the nearby nature trail. After several minutes, Nicole finally broke the silence by asking, “I’m not crazy, am I? There is something going on here.”

“You’re not crazy,” Waverly assured her quickly.

“What is going on here?” Nicole inquired, a pleading look in her eyes.

Waverly took in a deep breath. How to explain this... “I work for a covert agency that helps people find their soulmate. I was assigned your case to help you find yours.”

Nicole stopped walking. “Help me find… what? Wait - Shae hired you?”

Waverly rapidly shook her head. “No, that’s not how it works. See, the agents, or angels as it is, well, the cases are handed out by the head angel who happens to be my dad and... oh, boy. This is harder than I thought it would be. You see, everyone has a soulmate. Sometimes they meet by fate, without our intervention. Other times one or the other needs a nudge in the right direction. That is where we come in. Think of us as guardian angels looking out for the hearts of the world. But those guardian angels are real angels. I’m an angel.”

Nicole was incredulous. “An angel? Wait, you were assigned to me?” She couldn’t believe this. Which was harder to understand, that someone was assigned to lead her to her soulmate, or she was standing next to an angel?

“I really wanted to help you find your love! Shae Pressman seemed to be a perfect match! I provided an opportunity for you two to meet. And I tried, I really did. But then…” All of a sudden Waverly found herself at a loss for words.

“But then what?”

“But then -I- fell in love with you.”

This news was the least surprising thing Waverly had said so far. Because Nicole felt it too. This unexplainable attraction to the hazel-eyed beauty next to her. How Waverly occupied her thoughts during the day, and more than a few moments while drifting off to sleep.

Yet Nicole was still skeptical. “I am a deputy. As crazy as this town is, it has always remained rooted in reality. How do you expect me to believe you are an angel?”

Waverly understood Nicole’s hesitancy to grasp this truth. It was a ridiculous notion when your reality is that only humans and animals inhabit the world. She had found that “seeing is believing” was the most effective way to answer these kind of questions. She bent over a long dormant bush lying in the snow and a gentle smile grew on her lips. She removed her mitten and brushed her hand under one of the branches, and leaves began to grow. A bud emerged from the tip of the branch, turned red, and blossomed into a red rose. “I’m an angel.” 

Then, to further make her case, wings unfolded from her shoulders and opened in a wingspan as if arms were extending from her body. The wings had feathers of white in the small, downy sections close to her body. The longer feathers of the wing more matched her hair, ash and chestnut browns with golden brown highlights.

Nicole took a hesitant step back, caught herself, then stopped. “You... you’re... an angel,” the redhead stuttered. Her breathing became shallow and rapid. She didn’t know if she should say something or run away.

Waverly retracted the wings, seeing that they had overwhelmed Nicole.She looked at Nicole, eyes begging for comprehension, for any kind of answer. 

Nicole looked to the ground, then back to Waverly. Looking into her eyes, then at her lips. “I... I don’t know what to say.” She looked to the ground again, trying to get her emotions back in check. _She’s an angel! She loves me._ She took in one deep breath, then another. She stared at Waverly. The redhead already thought the smaller woman was a vision. “You are extraordinary.” she whispered. Then Nicole knew exactly what to do.

Warm chocolate eyes turned back to look into Waverly’s. Nicole saw the vulnerability there. She tilted her head slowly towards Waverly’s, and heard a hitch in her breathing. Moving closer, Nicole stopped ever so briefly to give Waverly a chance to back out of this inevitable moment. Seeing only desire in Waverly's eyes, she continued until their lips met. As Waverly kissed her back, a detailed memory formed. One that would mark a pivotal moment in her life. The coolness of her lips on this winter evening. How incredibly soft her lips were. The perfection of pressure in this give and take dance. A gentle puff of air that escaped Waverly’s nose and caressed her cheek. A hand on her shoulder gently pulling her closer. The quiet moan that escaped from deep within Waverly’s chest. The fire coursing through her veins. All these sensations coming together indicating that yes, Waverly loved her. That Waverly was her soulmate.

An undetermined amount of time later, the kiss came to an end and they moved apart enough to look into each other’s eyes. “Wow.” Waverly was at a loss for words and short of breath. “This is what finding your soulmate feels like.”

Snow began to fall and seemed to make the moment even more enchanted. They both looked up to the sky, happy giggles bubbling from their chests. Their eyes returned to each other and their lips locked in another tender moment.

Waverly broke off the kiss this time. The women’s foreheads rested together. “Merry Christmas my soulmate,” she breathed.

Nicole beamed at the statement. She looked into Waverly’s eyes and replied, “Merry Christmas my angel,” then proceeded to kiss her again, cementing the memory as the moment she met her forever love.

🎄🎄🎄

Nearby, Julian and Doc were hidden behind a boulder. “OK, OK. You have proven your point,”Julian told Doc. He turned his eyes skyward then added, “ a little bit of overkill with the snow, don’t you think?”

Doc looked skyward as well. “Oh, this? This is definitely not for them. I’m a mischief maker! I’ve been making it snow on old man Jenkins for days now. He loves keeping his driveway free of snow. He just got it cleaned off 15 minutes ago.” After he said that he smiled, well, mischievously. 

Both looked back at the couple, who were still kissing. “ I hope I have your assurance you will be staying out of further P.E.A.C.E. Maker transactions?” 

Doc looked back at the couple. “I think Wayhaught is enough for me.” That said, he touched the brim of his hat with his index finger, nodded, and disappeared. 

Julian shook his head and sighed. He took a final glance back to his daughter he smiled warmly at the scene. As he bent his knees and jumped into the air, white wings opened instantly. He made not a sound as he flew upward, then headed home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a couple different endings, I might post an epilogue later. Maybe. For Jeremy.


	7. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I had no reason to write this epilogue. It does nothing to further the story. But darn it all when Robin and Jeremy flirt it is too cute and I wanted to go there, so there. Cue closing scene musical rendition of your favorite Christmas song and enjoy!

Jeremy had snuck in to P.E.A.C.E. Maker offices after hours. He was pretty sure it wasn’t against the rules. He did forget his favorite scarf, so there was a legit reason for him to be there. Completing the Compatibility test? Well, it’s not like he was breaking the rules for his friends or another co-worker. It was just a hunch he had, so he quickly finished typing into his computer. 

_55\. Yes  
56\. No  
57\. Yes  
58\. 3  
59\. Green  
60\. AB_

Then he moved the pointer over the yes button on the bottom of the screen to submit his answers. He got up and paced behind the reception desk. Finally, the screen blinked,_ Test complete. Print results?_

He pressed yes and ran over to the printer. He grabbed the report labeled, ‘Coupling Compatibility Score: Test Subjects Jeremy Chetri and Robin Jett.' “57/60! I knew it!” He smiled and looked around the office. It was deserted as it was closed for the holidays. Quickly he grabbed his coat and headed for the elevator. “No sense waiting!” Once outside the building, he turned toward the downtown area in hopes of seeing a local street vendor.

As he rounded the corner, he saw some of the booths were still open, serving the local townspeople who were out enjoying the last of the holiday spirit on the streets of town. Robin was talking to a neighboring vendor, all smiles, wearing a festive Santa hat. As Jeremy approached, Robin stopped talking and watched. Once face to face, neither seemed to know what to say. Robin spoke first, “Beautiful. Chocolate! I mean Beautiful chocolate! Can I get you a beautiful chocolate?” he stuttered out.

Jeremy only smiled bigger until his smile was all teeth. “Uh, hey. Yeah, Chocolate sounds good! But can I get maybe some hot chocolate?”

Robin chuckled at the request. “Yeah, one hot chocolate coming up. I just think every once in a while instead of being called hot it might want to be called beautiful.”

“Oooh! I see what you did there. Yeah, I get it. Haha! Easy come, easy cocoa!” Jeremy paused, hoping he was not out of line.

“Oh, let’s not cocoa there.” Robin replied. 

“Yep, I went there, didn’t I? I like to dig holes in small increaments.” Jeremy could not stop his mouth from speaking.

“I donut know what you’re talking about,” Robin retorted. To save Jeremy from further embarrassing himself, he handed him a hot chocolate. “Here you go. One beautiful chocolate. Merry Christmas. I’m Robin.”

“I know. I mean, right! Jeremy. I’m Jeremy. Thanks. You lay some sweet lines. I, uh… I’m gonna go. See you around?” As he reached for the cocoa he noticed something written on the cup. A phone number.

Robin held his gaze for several seconds. “Hohohope to hear from you soon.”  
Jeremy began to back up slowly all the while holding eye contact with Robin. Suddenly his heel caught an ice chunk in the snow and he began to stumble. He threw his free hand up over his head while arching his back, then as quickly flexed forward at his hips. One final correction sticking a leg out to the side, he managed to keep his balance and not spill his cocoa. He straightened up, tried to look cool and collected, and walked carefully down the street. He smiled all the way to his car, and when he got home shot off a quick text to the newly entered number in his phone. 

Hey, Robin! Jeremy here. So New Years Eve is Tuesday. You eve-ailable?

🎄🎄🎄

Julian was in his office looking out his window over the snow-covered town of Purgatory. He was swirling a glass of whiskey in his hands. “It’s snowing again. Is this your work?”

Doc was seated at a chair that sat on the other side of Julian‘s desk, his cowboy boots propped up on the desktop. His own whiskey glass was nearly empty. “I need to keep Old Man Jenkins on his toes.”

“How did you know, Doc?” Julian inquired.

“How did you not know, Julian? When Waverley first laid eyes on Nicole the air in all the Ghost River Triangle shifted.” Doc finished off his glass, looked at it meaningfully, then back to Julian.

Julian walked over to grab the bottle of whiskey and refilled both their glasses. “I felt it, too. My mind attributed it to giving me credit for a perfect match between Nicole and Shae.”

Doc rolled his eyes. “How are you in charge of P.E.A.C.E. Maker? She is your own daughter and you did not notice her falling in love?”

Julian turned and faced Doc. “I thought she was falling in love with the case.”

Doc laughed out loud at the C.E.O.’s confession. “You are obtuse! May you never be involved in ‘helping’ me find my soulmate!”

Julian nodded. “So now what? Are you looking for a job?”

Doc immediately answered by shaking his head. “No. Mischief is way more fun than research. Too many rules. Sitting behind a computer bores me.”

“The benefits are good. Medical, dental, a matching 401K plan…”

“Tooth fairy and I have… a deal that benefits us both, and longevity does not have many health issues. And mischief is quite profitable,” Doc countered.

“Your mischief could help in some of the more difficult matches.”

Doc thought for a second, then shook his head. “No, I believe I will keep to myself and leave the matchmaking to you angels.” He stood up and fixed his clothes until they sat right again. He moved to shake Julian’s hand. “I best be moving on, always a pleasure.”

Julian took his hand and shook it warmly. Despite his meddling in the previous case, he did appreciate the hobgoblin. He asked one final time,“The job offer still stands.”

“The refusal still exists.” Doc retorted. “Julian, I thank you for the libations. Enjoy the rest of your holidays,” Doc touched the brim of his hat and disappeared.

🎄🎄🎄 

“Fudgenuggets.” Nicole chuckled as she pulled back from a long kiss. She and Waverly were sitting in front of a blazing fire at Nicole’s home. Wrapping paper littered the floor in front of them. Nicole did have to work Christmas, and they were enjoying the holiday together the day after. 

“What?” Waverly did not expect that as a reply to any kiss ever.  
“'Fudgenuggets! This stupid lug nut refuses to budge.’ They are the first words I heard you say.” Nicole placed a quick kiss to the corner of the mouth of a confused Waverly.

“That will be the cheesy line you will always repeat when you tell others how we met?” Waverly groaned and palm slapped her forehead.

“Better than whatever would’ve tumbled out of my mouth had I spilled a drink on you.”

“I love spilled drink meetings! They are so romantic!”

“No! They scream slutty! My first line might have been something like, ‘I didn’t know Shorty’s had a wet t-shirt contest.’” said Nicole, rolling her eyes.

“Yeah, that would’ve been really awkward!” Waverly moved in to kiss Nicole again.  
“I can live with Fudgenuggets.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy guacamole this writing thing is so much fun. I have enjoyed myself immensely. I even heard a prompt the other day and another story immediately started writing itself! Thank you for all of your comments and likes, they are like drinking an Irish Coffee. I’m all warm and tingly inside.


End file.
